Like most employer-employee legal battles, the fight between the Oakland Raiders and former coach Lane Kiffin promises to be an ugly one.

And, like most cases involving claims against a former employer made by a person who has found other employment, the former employer will legitimately use the proceedings initiated by the employee to wreak some havoc in his new place of work.

Thus, with Kiffin’s deposition due to be taken on Monday, the Raiders have released to multiple members of the media a letter sent on January 22, 2009, by the team to the University of Tennessee.

The full text of the letter can be seen right here. (You will have to go to the link above to see the letter)

Though the Raiders have every right to place Tennessee on notice of potential activities of Kiffin that could be infringing upon the Raiders’ rights, the act of leaking the letter to the media only three days before Kiffin is questioned under oath about his claims has no strategic benefit — unless the Raiders think that the disclosure of the letter will disrupt Kiffin’s preparation and/or distract his focus once the questioning commences.

That said, the Raiders raise some issues that could, eventually, ensnare Tennessee in litigation. For example, the Raiders essentially allege that Kiffin (and, vicariously, Tennessee) interfered with the Raiders’ contractual rights as to James Cregg, an Oakland assistant coach whom Kiffin hired during the 2008 season.

Also, and perhaps more importantly, the letter from Raiders general counsel Jeff Birrin sets forth an intention to examine not only Kiffin’s employment agreement but also the existence of any side deals aimed at funneling money and other benefits to Kiffin that might have otherwise fallen beyond the reach of the dollar-for-dollar offset to which Oakland is entitled, even if Kiffin’s grievance prevails.

So, yeah, it’s ugly. And the Raiders want to drag Tennessee into the ugliness, in the hopes of potentially pressuring Kiffin into dropping the case before he undermines his relationship with his new employer.